Whilst resident in Jakarta I made many birding trips
to this fantastic park Almost all of Javaís endemic birds can be found
here although youíll have to be extremely lucky if you are to see a high
percentage of them. Over the course of 18 months I managed to record almost
all the "big" species with the exception of White-bellied Fantail which
I missed by a couple of minutes. This species hasnít figured in the log
more than a couple of times in the last four or five years and may be getting
very rare. Iíd be glad to receive details of any sightings. The park covers
a wide altitude range and accordingly several different habitat zones from
sub-montane forest to alpine meadow. The birding is fantastic, if a little
slow at times, but you should be rewarded with some never to be forgotten
experiences.

You need about a week to do the place justice and
youíll have to spend one night at least on the mountain. The "huts" are
hopeless so bring a little tent or bivvy bag and check the weather. We
once stayed overnight in atrocious weather with trees coming down everywhere
- it wasnít much fun. Keep your food as safe as possible since we lost
all ours one night to some ratty thing and woke up with a large mammal,
probably a Stink Badger, crawling all over us. The whole mountain can be
seething with Javanese especially on Sundays so try and visit in the week.

References

The field guide is Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java
and Baliby MacKinnonand Phillipps
but should be used with a little care as there are a few mistakes and the
plates arenít fantastic. Craig Robsons new book is worth taking if youíre
visiting other sites in, say, Sumatra. Thereís a good tape available of
calls (try Wildsounds, or myself if you have no luck there) etc but I found
I could pull out most skulkers by imitating and pishing etc.

Getting There

From Jakarta, take a Bandung bus from Kampung Rambutan
Bus Station (Rp 12000). This station is in the south of the city and any
taxi will take you there (eventually!). Ask the driver for "Terminal Bis
Kampung Rambutan". At the station get on any bus to Bandung and ask the
conductor to let you off at Cibodas. It takes about an hour and 20 mins.
From the bottom of the turn off up to Cibodas you can either walk or take
an Ojek (motorbike taxi - Rp 2000 to 5000) to the village. Iíd recommend
the Ojek - itís great flying up the road with the huge forest shrouded
volcano looming up in front of you and you dont even have to wear a helmet.

Where to Stay

Thereís only one place it can be - Freddyís. Freddy
is a great host and a very friendly man who can give you a lot of good
info and liven up your stay. His place is on the right of the road just
as you start to enter thre town proper and just before the mosque. He does
great, cheap food and his sons (Eddy, Adam and Indrah) are all interested
in birding. Freddy can also arrange a trip to a nearby location to see
Javan Hawk Eagle, on the nest maybe, if you dont have any joy in the park
P.S. Please say "Hi" to Freddy from Tim and Claire, cheers.

Park Access

From Freddys walk up through the market to the top
of the hill and take the driveway on your right alongside the golf course.
The park entrance is on the left after about 150 yards. Walk up the steep
path to the HQ and if anyoneís there buy an entrance ticket and youíre
off!

Interesting Spots on the way up
and their birds

Several species are common and likely to be encountered
in a variety of places so iíve only listed those that youíre probably more
interested in.

1. Cibodas Gardens

Okay so itís not in the park but itís still worth
a visit and is the best place to catch up with Lesser Forktail;
try the small stream on the far side of the football pitch - more often
than not I scored there. The Gardens are also the best spot for Pygmy
Tits and Yellow-throated Hanging Parrots and raptors are easier
to see here. On one occassion I had an amazing Javan Hawk Eagle
perched up here. Collared Scops Owl and Brown Wood Owl are
possible at night.

2. Forest up to the Blue Lake

An excellent section of species can be seen on the
first section of the wide path running up the mountain. This first 1.5
km is the best spot to find the two endemic babblers, the White-bibbed
and the Crescent-chested. Also of note here are Banded and Checker-throated
Woodpeckers, both Wren Babblers, Orange-fronted Barbets,
Sunda Blue Robins, Horsefieldís Babblers, Javan Dark-throated
White-eyes and Lesser Shortwings among others. Javan Scops
Owl might be found at the very start of the track - I never
got a sniff.

About 15 mins up the track thereís a good trail on
the left (Jalan Buntu) that eventually leads into the Gardens. I encountered
many good flocks on here.

3. Telaga Biru/The Blue Lake (1,575 m a.s.1.)

1.5 km/30 minute walk from Cibodas Gate. The name
derives from the presence of blue-green algae which colour the water. The
surrounding area is transitional from sub-montane to montane vegetation.
I really enjoyed just sitting here and waiting for flocks to move through.
This can be a long wait at times but you get very good views of some species.
Birds of note in this spot can include Spotted Crocias, Sunda
Bulbul and Sunda Minivet (the best place I found for all of
these). You can also see Orange-spotted Bulbul, babblers,
both endemic barbets, drongos and Ďpeckers here too
and itís a fantastic place to get good views of Blue Nuthatch. It
was the also the only place I found Sunda Cuckoo-shrike and Sunda
Thrush. Listen here for Large Hawk Cuckoo "Pee Pee-ah"
repeated incessantly and Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon "ooo-ooh"
although the latter is rare.

4. Cibeureum Waterfall (1,625 m a.s.1.)

Abuot 2.8 km/1 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. Three
waterfalls, formed from the Cikundul, Cidendeng, and Cibeureum rivers.
A red moss (Sphagnum gedeanum), endemic to the mountains of West
Java, can be seen growing on the rocky outcrops. Many of the bats seen
flying around come the nearby bat cave of Gua Lalay.

The track off to the waterfall is perhaps the best
spot to come across the fantastic Javan Tesia. These are a little
tricky at first but respond well to pishing. White-browed Shortwing
and White-flanked Sunbird are to be found here but the Shortwings
are real skulky. At the falls you might find Spotted Kestrel, Black
Eagle, Lesser Forktail (very rare) and at night Salvadoriís
Nightjar - try the rightmost fall. Unfortunately itís so difficult
to see these that theyíre virtually unidentifiable. Just before the waterfall
track is an open grassy area where on one occassion I saw a Giant Swiftlet
- theyíre huge!

5. Hot Springs/Air Panas (2,150 m a.s.l.)

A tiring 5.3 km/2 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. The
water temperature here can be as high as 75°C but drops during times
of rain. If you take packets of noodles they can be cooked using this water.
An algae, remarkably adapted both to hot water and high sulphur levels,
grows in the stream bed. This place is like something prehistoric! Another
good spot to just sit and watch - if itís not too steamy. The path between
the falls and here is good for Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler,
Sunda Whistling Thrush, and a few of the commoner species. Around
the falls is the spot for Javan Cochoa and Blue-rumped Trogon;
I only managed one of each so donít be disappointed! The Trogon has a weird,
harsh call and the Cochoa should be high up. The Cochoas are very slender
birds and the one I saw was very horizontal on its branch, tearing away
at something. White-crowned Forktail can be found on the path after
rain and Indigo Flycatchers are usually fairly abundant

6. Kandang Batu/Rocky Area (2,220 m a.s.l.)

Around 5.6 km/3 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. As a
result of the Gede eruptions rocks and boulders litter the area. Many fresh
springs emerge here providing a good source of drinking water. Not too
much of interest seen round here but I did see Chestnut-bellied Partridge
here a few times. Also you may encounter thrushes, flycatchers (inc Snowy-browed)
and it does look good for Javan Cochoa

7. Kandang Badak/Rhino Hut (2,400 m a.s.l.)

An exhausting 7.8 km/4 hour walk from Cibodas Gate.
The area is relatively flat, consisting of a saddle connecting the peaks
of Mount Gede and Mount Pangrango. The vegetation is transitional from
montane to sub-alpine. You can sleep here but its very squalid and usually
wet. The birds here are a little scarcer but anything you see will be interesting.
Chestnut-bellied Partridge, Siberian and Whites Thrush
are all possible if youíre lucky, while White-browed Shortwing,
Javan Tesia and Sunda Bush Warbler are a little easier. The
only place I saw Sumatran Green Pigeon and Whites Thrush.

8. Path to Summit and Crater of Mount Gede (2,958
m a.s.l.)

An absolutely knackering 9.7 km/5 hour walk from
Cibodas Gate. Three semi-active craters are grouped together: Lanang (male),
Ratu (queen) and Wadon (female). Acid rocks, sulphur-rich gas emissions
and an inhospitable climate all make for extreme conditions. In response,
a fascinating plant community has developed including the fern Selliguea
feei, the ericaceous Vaccinium varingiaefolium and two species
of rhododendron Rhododendron retusum and R.javanicum. The
forest on the path to the crater becomes more and more stunted as you progress
on the trail. Island Thrushes should be seen here along with other
thrush spp if youíre lucky. At the summit if itís not too cloudy youíll
find Volcano Swiftlets zipping around your head with Red Junglefowl
calling in the background. A good spot too for Mountain Serin -
listen for their "tinkling" through the mist. Also recorded on one occassion
was a probable Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch but views were too quick.

Now itís all downhill and a second chance to catch
up on anything you missed.